CAYUGA LAKE FLOATING CLASSROOM WEBLOG

Trip Reports & On-Line Citizen Science

- field trips & charters
- public eco-cruises & charters
- internships & youth programming


Phone: (607) 327-5253
Email: floatingclassroom@gmail.com

SEE OUR MAIN WEBSITE: WWW.DiscoverCayugaLake.org

Cruise Prep

This page provides instruction of equipment, data and watershed concepts you may encounter on yoru Floating Classroom Cruise.  

SEE OUR NEW SITE for planning & program information!
1.  Tracking Water Clarity & Temperature
Water clarity, as measured with the Secchi Disk, provides tremendous insight into lake processes.  We track water clarity throughout the season, linking our findings with water quality and biological events.  For an explanation of water clarity changes over the season, click on the link below!
http://prezi.com/bttuly6pycg7/

2008-2011-secchi-data/?auth_key=71ee5caaa9205427e63f11b9f4af89e624fdfa8d

Van Dorn Water Sampler Demo:



We've also found great sites related to what we do out on the Floating Classroom--  these are external links which will take you away from our blog...



Water Quality:
  • Click on the image to the right for an overview of the role of OXYGEN in water and the factors that control oxygen levels.  Good for wide age-range, 15 minutes!


Zooplankton Image Key:
Zooplankton Image Key
http://cfb.unh.edu/cfbkey/html/index.html
This is a really neat image-based plankton ID key with some amazing looking pictures of different kinds of zooplankton.


Secchi Disk Simulator:
Secchi Disk Simulater
http://www.mainevolunteerlakemonitors.org/recertify/disk.php
Want to practice measuring lake clarity in different situations?? This is the tool for you! (works best in Internet Explorer)




Finger Lakes Geology & Topography 
(Cornell Geology Department)
http://www.geo.cornell.edu/geology/classes/RWA/EAS_210/General/FL_topo/FingerLakesTopo.html
This is a great set of interactive slides, illustrating the evoluation of our landscape around Cayuga Lake!

Cornell RUSS
http://www.cayugalake.cornell.edu/weather.php
Cornell has an up-to-the minute weather station (and research platform) on the lake, so you can check out the conditions right now!  [Unit it presently out of service!]